Wild rice is native to Canada and the United States with Minnesota and California being key producers of the grain. In fact, it is the only rice native to North America.
While rice is the most popular grain in the world and grown on every continent, wild rice certainly isn’t the most sought-after rice on market. That being said, it’s certainly enjoyed by many and likely including you if you are reading this article.
Here are 12 popular wild rice brands for you to consider for your next meal:
Wild Rice Brands
Ben’s Original
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
Ben’s Orignal was previously known as Uncle Ben’s. It is one of the most recognized rice brands in America being #1 in the world among branded rice.
The brand was started in the 1940s by Forrest Mars Sr. and a pioneer of the rice industry named Erich Huzenlaub. Mars was the businessman behind Mars candy who was largely responsible for helping fuel its tremendous growth.
Ben’s Original makes these products that contain wild rice:
- Brown & Wild Rice
- Brown, Red, & Wild Rice Medley
Canoe
Website: canoewildrice.com
Find It: amazon.com
Canoe is a wild rice brand started in the early 1900s by Peter Ratuski. They make canned, bagged, and boxed wild rice products at their family-operated facility in Minnesota.
Canoe wild rice products include:
- Cooked Wild Rice – Canned
- White ‘N Wild Rice – Boxed
- Wild Rice Medley – Boxed
- Traditionally Batch Roasted Wild Rice – Bag
- Minnesota Hand Harvested, Wood Parched Wild Rice
- Wood Parched Cultivated Wild Rice
Carolina
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
Similar to other wild rice brands below, Carolina is owned by Riviana Foods. Carolina has been in business for over 90 years and is based out of the American Northeast. The brand produces an assortment of rice products including white, Thai, brown, mixes, and more.
Carolina makes these rice products that contain wild rice:
- Jasmine with Red & Wild Rice
- Long Grain & Wild Rice – Seasoned
KC’s Best Wild Rice
Find It: kcsbestwildrice.com/shop, amazon.com
This wild rice brand was launched in 1994 as an alternative fundraising product from the norm like cookies and candy. The wild rice products became loved by many which helped the founding Bahr family bring its wild rice to retail, supermarkets, and gift shops. Today, the brand is owned by Red Lake Incorporated.
Here are KC’s Best wild rice items:
- Canadian Lake Wild Rice
- Canned Premium Wild Rice
- Wood Parched Wild Rice
- Hand Harvest Wild Rice
- Long Grain Wild Rice
- Soup Grade Wild Rice
Lundberg
Website: lundberg.com
Buy Now: amazon.com
Lundburg specializes in making a variety of brown rice products. They first planted 76 acres of organic brown rice in 1969. The Lundberg family was one of the initial farmers in America to produce organic rice products.
Today, the company makes rice, quinoa, rice cakes, chips, syrup, and more. Lundberg makes the following wild rice products:
- Organic Wild Rice
- Organic Wild Blend Rice
- Wild Blend Rice
Mahatma
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
This rice brand dates back to 1932 when the Louisiana State Milling Company first introduced its first long-grain rice product. The brand helped form Riviana Foods in 1965 when the Louisiana State Milling Company merged with River Brand Rice Mills.
Mahatma makes these two kinds of rice with wild rice:
- Long Grain & Wild Seasoned Rice
- Jasmine with Red & Wild Rice
Minute
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
This popular instant rice needs no introduction. It was first introduced in 1949 by General Foods (later Kraft after a merger). It was purchased by Riviana Foods in 2006 for $280 million. Riviana currently owns the brand.
Minute Rice makes the following rice products with wild rice:
- Ready to Serv Brown & Wild Rice
Near East
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
Near East was launched in 1962 by George and Hannah Kalajian who were Armenian immigrants. The couple started a grocery store in Massasschuets which contained a small seating area where Hannah would serve guests meals.
One of her signature side dishes was a mix of rice and orzo with spices. This menu item was loved so much by guests that George and Hannah eventually started producing it for retail sales.
Today, the company has grown its product line to 30 products including rice pilafs, various blends, tabouleh, and more. Near East makes these wild rice products:
- Long Grain & Wild Rice – Original
- Long Grain & Wild Rice – Garlic & Herb
Rice-A-Roni
Rice-A-Roni is known as the San Francisco treat because that is where it was born in 1958. The first rice product was created based on a type of Armenian rice pilaf that the owner enjoyed. Rice-A-Roni is a part of Quaker Oats, which is ultimately owned by PepsiCo.
Rice-A-Roni makes these wild rice products:
- Long Grain & Wild Rice
- Rustic Long Grain & Wild Rice
Rice Select
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
Rice Select is a brand of Riviana Foods. The brand uses Texmati rice grown in the United States as a propriety grain. The rice is said to hold the properties of long grain and Basmati rice.
The company also produces a Royal Blend consisting of Texmati, white, pre-cooked brown, and Thai red rice.
They also make Jasmati which is a Jasmine style of rice.
Rice Select makes the following Royal Blends made with wild rice:
- Royal Blend (Texmati White Rice, Brown Rice, Red Rice, and Wild Rice)
- Royal Blend Whole Grain with Wild Rice (Texmati Brown Rice, Soft WhiteWheat, Rye Berries, and Wild Rice)
Reese
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
Max Ries was the founder of Reese who immigrated to Chicago from Germany in 1939. During the 1940s, he began importing European foods such as cheeses, Pate de Fois Gras, and other delicacies.
Through the years, Max expanded Reese by continuing to add unique foods to his company’s product line. By the 1990s, Reese was one of the leading specialty food brands in the United States.
Today, Reese makes an array of international products such as anchovies, artichokes, horseradish, vinegar, and related items. They produce these wild rice products:
- All Natural Paddy Grown Minnesota Wild Rice
- Wild Rice Harvest Bowl (White & Wild Rice, Black Beans, Dressing,
Zatarain’s
Find It: where to buy, amazon.com
Zatarain’s is a brand of the spice giant McCormick. The company was founded in 1889 in New Orleans with a specialty in Creole and Cajun flavors of the area.
Try Zatarain’s Long Grain & Wild Rice. It’s gluten-free with no artificial flavors or colors. It works great as a side or meal with a relatively quick preparation time of under 30 minutes.